Footage of a woman appearing to use her phone while swimming laps has left viewers stunned, with some saying it’s a new low for technology addiction.
The video, shared to social media over the weekend, captured a woman swimming at Bondi Icebergs, a popular oceanside pool in Sydney’s east.
However, she appeared to be scrolling on her phone as she swam, lying on her back and using only her legs to propel her down the lane.
After some time, she turned the phone screen away from her and held it at an arm’s length, as if preparing to take a photo or video.
‘Good to see people just being in the moment, maximizing their screen time, never not being online and oversharing every possible minute of their lives,’ TikTok account Brown Cardigan sarcastically captioned the video.
The footage sparked an immediate frenzy online, with many disturbed by the extent of social media addiction.
‘There’s no coming back from where we are as a species,’ one viewer wrote.
‘Only in Bondi,’ another said.
One man wrote: ‘This may be the most dystopian thing I’ve ever seen.’
‘POV: you’re addicted to your phone but also to the beach life,’ another wrote.
Others were more sympathetic, however, claiming the swimmer was simply documenting her time at the scenic swim spot.
While most comments were tongue-in-cheek, the video may cast light on the challenge of mobile phone addiction in Australia.
Australians spend more than six hours a day on their mobile devices, according to SEO agency RedSearch.
Nearly three-quarters of Aussies check social media first thing upon waking up, while 80 per cent do it soon before going to bed.
Research from the University of Queensland identified problematic smartphone use as having widespread negative impacts on sleep, concentration and stress levels.
While mobile phone use is not without its perks, University of New South Wales Senior Lecturer Dr Eric Lim believes staying ‘plugged in’ is not always beneficial.
‘We become the willing product in the attention economy, but I do not believe we are better off in this economy even if we become more informed and hyper-plugged into events happening in this world,’ he said.
‘It becomes a vicious cycle where the more we are plugged in, the more we need these apps to provide ever-novel content to keep us hooked to the dopamine they provide.’
Dr Lim has researched ‘nomophobia’, the anxiety of being without a mobile phone, driven by widespread smartphone use and apps designed to capture attention.
‘Studies have shown young adults between 18 to 24 developing nomophobia more than other age groups,’ he said, noting toddlers are also growing up with phones as surrogate caregivers.
